Grapple for well-buckets.



W. CRAIG.

GMPPLE FOR WELL BUCKETS. APPLICATION mm 05c. I5. 1915.

H :ELql- Patented June 4, 1918.

UNITED OFFICE.

WORDIE CRAIG, 0F IONE, ARKANSAS.

GRA'PPLE FOR WELL-BUCKETS.

Application filed December 15, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VORDIH CRAIG, a citi' zen of the United States, residing at Ione, in the county of Logan and State of Arkansas, have imeuted certain new and useful Improvements in [ll-apples for \VelLBuekels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clean and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to improvements in grapples for well buckets.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of grapples for Well buckets and to provide a simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive grappling device designed for removing buckets from wells and equipped with means for en' gaging the walls of a bucket interiorly thereof and also for picking up a rope or the hail of a bucket.

A further object of the inventi n is to provide a well bucket grapple of this character equipped with adjustable bucket engaging members or spears adapted to be varied in effective lengths for operating on buckets of different diameters.

With these and otherobjects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arran ement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a side eh m en of a well bucket grapple constructorr in accordance with this invention, one of the side plates being removed,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J 11110 4, 1918.

Serial No. 67,049.

end of the bar 1 and the side faces of the end plate or tip and maintaining the said parts in spaced relation to form an opening 4.- in which are pivoted the inner ends 5 of a pair of laterally projecting bucket engaging members or spears 6. The bar 1 is provlded at its upper end with an eye or opening 7 for the attachment of a line and the lower end S of the said bar or member is oppositely beveled, to enable the bucket engaging members or arms to swing upwardly to the desired extent.

The bucket enga ing members or spears which have taperec or pointed out ends 9 are mounted at their inner ends on a central pivot pin and are provided with a plurality of perforations 11 to permit the bucket engaging members or spears to be adjusted inwardly and outwardly to vary their efl'ective lengths to adapt them for operating on buckets of different diameters but spears of different lengths may of course be'substituted. for those shown as will be readily understood. The bucket engaging members or spears are supported in a horizontal position by upwardly extending side projections 12 preferably tapered as shown and formed by a recess 13 in the upper end of the end plate or tip 2.

The bucket engaging members or spears are beveled at their ripper edges to form the points 9 and they are maintained yieldably in a horizontal position in engagement, with the projections 12 by coiled springs 14 which permit the bucket engaging members or spears to swing upwardly to cause them to engage the interior of a bucket to permit the latter to be readily removed from a well. The lower ends of the springs are secured to suitable eyes at the side edges of the end plate or tip and the upper ends of the springs are connected with yokes which engage the bucket engaging members or spears at points intermediate of the ends thereof.

The end plate or tip is provided at its lower end with a plura ity of hooks 17 having inclined diametrically disposed bills 18 and adapted to engage a rope or the hail of a bucket for picking up buckets equipped with bails.

hat is claimed is 1. A grappling device for well buckets incliuling a body provided with a transverse opening and having upwardly extending supporting projections located at o posite sides of the opening at the lower endt ereof,

said body being also provided at the top of the opening with inclined stop faces located at the sides of the opening, a pair of bucket engaging members adjustably mounted at their inner ends on a common pivot in the lower portion of the opening, the inner ends of the membu's bein adapted to extend downwardly between t e supporting projections in the operation of the said members, and springs located at opposite sides of the said body and extending longitudinally of the same, the lower ends of the springs being connected to the body below the said opening ind the upper ends of the springs being connected with the members between the ends thereof for maintaining the said members in engagement with the supporting projections and also for causing the said members to engage the interior of the bucket.

2. A well bucket grappling device including a body comprising a bar having a tapered lower end presenting inclined stop faces, an end plate spaced from the bar and recessed at its upper end to provide up war'dly extending spaced supporting projections located at opposite sides of the body,

and side plates secured to the bar and the lower end plate or tip and maintaining the said parts in spaced relation and forming a transverse opening, bucket engaging members pivotally mounted in the opening between the spaced projections and mounted on a common pivot and normally sup orted by the said pro'ections of the end p etc or tip, the latter ein tapered downwardly, and longitudinally isposed side sprin 'secured at their lower ends to the tapere portion of the end plate or tip at a oint intermediate of the ends thereof an at their upper ends to the said members be tween the terminals of the same for maintaining the said members in contact-with the supporting projections and also for causing the said members to engage the interior of a bucket.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WORDIE CRAIG.

Witnesses:

A. W. SMITH, WM. SMITH.

connected 

